CFMEU official received death threats after urging ties be cut with Sydney crime figure

A veteran union official says he received death threats after he raised concerns about his union colleagues helping notorious Sydney crime figure George Alex win work on construction sites.

Brian Fitzpatrick, a 25-year veteran of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), has accused a current senior union official of making the threats, which he says came after he urged the union to cut its ties with Mr Alex.

The CFMEU at a glance

With more than 140,000 members, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) is one of Australia's largest unions.

The CFMEU was established in 1992 via the amalgamation of unions representing several different trades.

The union has branches in each of Australia's capitals, as well as major regional centres.

The CFMEU's website says it employs around 400 full-time staff and officials.

Its national secretary, Dave Noonan, has held the top job since 2006.

"A fellow official called me and threatened to kill me. Twice. I knew I had to report it in case there was something in it," Mr Fitzpatrick told the ABC's 7.30 program and Fairfax Media.

He said the official told him: "You've gone too far this time, you fat c***. You're dead, you're f****** dead. Don't care how many police you've got. I'm coming out tomorrow and you are **** dead. Bang."

"You don't have to be Einstein to realise once bikies get involved, there is only one reason they get involved, and only one reason bosses or people would use them," Mr Fitzpatrick said.

"They are used for the fear factor, they are used for getting results and they are used to terrifying people."

Mr Fitzpatrick said after he objected to the influence exerted on Mr Alex's behalf, he received a death threat over the phone, and he later identified the phone number as belonging to another union official.

He complained to the union hierarchy and the death threat was investigated, but nothing was done.

Last year a senior union figure offered Mr Fitzpatrick $300,000 in members' money to leave the union quietly. Instead, he resigned with a year's pay late last year.

CFMEU: One man's word against another's

CFMEU national secretary Dave Noonan has told the ABC the other official has strenuously denied making the death threats, and it was ultimately a case of one man's word against another's.

Mr Noonan also urged anybody with evidence of criminality in the building industry to contact police.

A joint investigation between 7.30 and Fairfax Media has uncovered a culture of bribery, violence and corruption in the building industry in New South Wales and Victoria.

In particular, CFMEU officials have received bribes and other inducements from companies - often linked to organised crime figures - in return for help getting contracts on construction sites.

Mr Fitzpatrick and another senior CFMEU official in NSW have claimed that Mr Alex's company received work at Sydney's prominent Barangaroo development in this fashion.

"What's happening now is getting worse and worse. It's now at crisis point. Literally at crisis point," Mr Fitzpatrick said.

"These people [organised crime figures] are going to drag us all down. We have got to be, unions are supposed to be, representing the workers. But if we become corrupt there is no way we can do that [and] we will lose the lot.

"I'm thinking of the kids who these people are living off, putting drug money in the industry, cleaning it and driving around in flash cars with bling around their neck."

Victoria Police said in a statement it has been investigating corruption in the building industry for some time, but it is difficult unless people come forward with evidence.

The Australian Crime Commission said allegations it had not investigated corruption strenuously enough were wrong, and it had held coercive hearings on the subject.